Building structure



Sept. 16, 1952 H. s. SHANNON EI'AL 2,610,707

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BUILDING STRUCTURE 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Feb. 23, 1946 INVENTOR. 1-1-5- EHHNNDN. 1'. B.HUHD- Wren/var Sept. 16, 1952 H. s. SHANNON ET AL 2,610,707

BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 23, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 7 Sept. 16, 1952 H. s. SHANNON EI'AL BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 23, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR. H. 5 SHHNNUN.

BY T. E. U20

rronwer Patented Sept. 16, 1952 BUILDING STRUCTURE I Harold S. Shan non'and Thaddeus B. Hurd, Detroit, Mich., assignors to National Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application February 28, 1946, Serial No. 649,453

9 Claims.

This invention relates generally to building construction and more particularly to foundations and floor supporting structure for buildings.

As is well known, among the contributing factors to higher costs in construction of buildings are the material cost and the erection cost. In the past, these costs have been reduced by mass production of so-called prefabricated buildings, constructed of factory made to fit members designed to be easily and quickly assembled at the building site but, 1ittle,if anything, has been done to reduce the cost of foundations for buildings. Usually buildings. are erected on concrete foundations constructed in much the same way that they were constructed in the past, involving the construction of concrete forms, the pouring of the concrete and the resultant delay in waiting for the concrete to set sufficiently to permit erection of the building framework thereon. In concrete foundation construction, much care mustor should be taken to insure a level upper foundation surface, if undesirable stresses and misfitting of parts in the building framework due to canted structural members are to be avoided and this adds to the cost of the foundation. In constructions where the building is supported on piers, skilledv expensive labor is required to build the piers and even then these piers usually require adjusting or shoring in order to provide level support for the building. Forcertain types of structures, in the small, inexpensive building class and particularly those not requiring basements, the cost of ordinary masonryfoundation construction by skilled workmen is prohibitive Accordingly, the principal'object of this invention is to provide for "buildings, a framework foundation of factory made, ready to assemble frame members which may be quickly and inexpensively erected and leveled without need of costly skilled labor. I 1

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved building and floor supporting foundation structure which, although resting directly on the ground, supports the floor thereaoove in such a manner that'utility pipes, cables, etc, may be run crisscross under the floor without such interference with thesupporting structure as would require the providing of clearance cutouts in supporting structure members.

Another object of the invention is to provide for a building, in which the usual foundation and basement are omitted, a new and improved floor supporting structure of a character such that the floor panels may be installed after erection of all other structures or at any time after erection of the floor supporting structure and in which any panel may be left out till last to give access to utility lines, etc. beneath the floor.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a new and improved floor supporting structure to facilitate building erection and conse uently reduce the cost thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a foundation and floor supporting structure in which longitudinally and transversely extending supporting beams, arranged in the same horizontal plane, are joined and secured together without resorting to expensive welding operations sometimes made more expensive by lack of convenient accessibility to electric power at the erection site and without need of splice plates, securing means or other structure on the upper surfaces of the beams which might prove to be obstacles to the utility lines and to flooring.

- Another object of the present invention is to provide direct, ground supported floor framing so constructed as to enhance the ease with which it may be assembled and also the ease with which factory made to fit sections may be'added to the floor framing to accommodate buildings of various size and floor plan design.

Another object of the invention is to provide a building with a floor supporting and foundation framework close to the ground without danger of undue deterioration of the structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide new and novel floor supporting structure to receive floor panels which may be simply pressed down to be snapped and held in place without need of exposed attaching means. c

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a building foundation and floor supporting structure embodying features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the foundation and floor supporting structure, taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figures 3 to 8, inclusive, are isometric views of different types of beam connector members used in the floor supporting structure of Figure 1;

Figure 9 is an isometric viewshowing certain details of the floor supporting structure;

Figures 10 to 21, inclusive, are fragmentary, isometric views of various structural details of the building foundation and floor supporting structure; 1

Figure is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view 3 of the foundation and floor supporting structure, taken along the line 22-22 of Figure 1 or Figure 24;

Figure 23 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the foundation and floor supporting structure taken along the line 23-23 of Figure 1;

Figure 24 is a cross-sectional view of the foundation and floor structure, taken along the line 2424 of Figure 1;

Figure 25 is a fragmentary isometric View of one of the fioor panels;

Figure 26 is a fragmentary isometric View of a corner of a floor panel showing a pair of corner, snap-in fasteners carried thereby;

Figure 27 is a fragmentary View in section of a floor panel and its supporting structure showing the floor panel being pressed down to locked position; and

Figure 28 is a view similar to Figure 27 showing the floor panel down in its locked position.

In the drawings, which illustrate a preferred form of the invention, our structural framework foundation, as shown in Figure 1, is formed in part by two outer frame or grade beam members I0, [I which together with other similar grade beams provide an outer frame entirely around the structure. For convenience of description, the grade beams H! and H are hereinafter referred to as the side and end grade beams, respectively, of the framework foundation. frame or grade beam member |2, l3 and M parallel to each other and to the outer end beam H extend from the outer side beam Hi to an inner grade beam |5 which is parallel to the side beam I0, the inner beam |5 extending from the end beam H and being connected to the inner beams l2, l3 and I4. This section of the frame foundation may be duplicated to provide a foundation of the desired size. The outer grade beams I and II, which are preferably formed of steel, are preferably of the so-called C-section having an upright, horizontally elongated web I6 provided with inturn d upper and lower side reinforcing flanges I! and H3, respectively (see Figure 17). The inner grade beams l2, l3, l4 and I are each preferably constructed of a pair of C-section members secured together back to back, such as by welding, to provide I-beam like sections. The depth of the inner beams is preferably less than the depth of the outer beams I0, I as shown, for example, in Figures 12 and 14, but the upper surfaces thereof are preferably in the same plane. The term grade beam as herein used in connection with the present invention denotes any main structural member of a framework floor supporting foundation located above, on or below ground.

In connection with the structural frame foundation, there is shown part of the building wall structure including a corner post or column 20, a side wall post 2| and an end wall post 22, which are located outwardly of, but preferably in close proximity to the outer frame members m, H. Preferably, the posts 20, 2| and 22 are hollow members constructed of sheet metal, having supporting plates 23, 24, respectively secured, such as by welding, to the lower ends thereof. Also the posts 29, 2| and 22 are preferably four-sided members, the corner post 20 having two adjacent sides, as at 26, 21, presented outwardly and having sides 28 and 29 respectively normal thereto which, instead of forming an inner corner, have inturned flange portions 30 and 3| providing a triangular corner recess 32 extending preferably from top to bottom of the post, see Figure 15. The

Inner, spaced outer grade beams I0 and H seat on the supporting plates of the posts 28, 2| and 22, and at the corner post 28, the ends of the grade beams are connected together and to the post by a spacer-like connector member 34. The connector member 36 is preferably a four-sided member adapted to fit into and fill out the post recess 32, the height of the connector member 34 preferably being not greater than the depth of the outer grade beams |O and II. Two sides 35 and 36 of the connector member 34 position flat against the inturned post flange portions 35 and 3| respectively to which they may be secured by bolts and nuts or by any other suitable means. The other sides, as at 3'2 and 38, of the connector member 34 align respectively with the flanged ends 39 and 42 of the grade beams I6 and H to which they may be secured by bolts and nuts 4% or by any other suitable means.

The grade beams Ii) and I are preferably made up of a number of like sections connected together end to end preferably at the posts of the building. For example, in Figure 14, sections of the grade beam ID are connected together and to the intermediate post 2| by a spacer-like connector member 42 to which one end of the inner grade beam I4 is also connected. As shown, the connector member 42 is a hollow sheet metal member of gen eral rectangular cross-section which is disposed between the adjacent ends of the sections of beam i0 and the end of beam I4, the connector mcznber seating at one end thereof on the upper surface of the post supporting plate 24. Inturned flanges 43, of the connector member 42, position against and may be secured to the inner side of the post 2| by nuts and bolts 44 or by other suitable means. Preferably the width of the connector member E2 is the same as the width of the post 2|. The connector member 42 presents opposite side edges 45 to which the flanged ends 43 of the sections of the grade beam |Ei may be respectively bolted, as at 45, and the connector member 42 also presents an inner side 47, spaced inwardly from the post 2|, to which end flanges 48 of the inner grade beam I4 may be bolted,

at 453. As shown in Figure 20, a connector member of the type of the connector member 42 is also used to connect sections of the end beam H together and to the end wall post 22.

Depending upon the design and floor plan layout of the building, there may be an offset at the intermediate grade beam |5 where another outer grade beam 50 is shown extending normal to the grade beam Figure 1. The ends of these grade beams H and 50 are spaced apart and connected together by corner connector members 5|, see Figures 6 and 10, which are preferably hollow, sheet steel uprights of general angle form. The channel grade beams 50 have their end flanges in opposed abutting relation respectively to the opposite side edges of the corner connector member 5| to which they may be bolted or otherwise suitably secured. The corner connector member 5| and end portion of the channel grade beams 50seat on the upper surface of plate-like support 52, which is preferably welded to the lower end of a hollow, sheet steel post 53. As shown, th post 53 is positioned outwardly of the grade beams 50 in engagement with the web surfaces thereof. This post 53 may be similar to the previously described corner post 20 having an upright, spacer or filler-like connector member 54 disposed in the space between the outer recessed post corner and the angle connector 5|. The filler member 54 is preferably a hollow sheet steel member which maybe bolted tothe post 53 and to the connector member I for the purpose of adapting a preformed type of post to the structural conditions and requirements at this corner of the frame foundation. As is more clearly shown in Figure 10, the closed or flanged ends of the intermediate grade beams I5, 55 may be bolted respectively to the adjacent, relatively normal side of the corner connector member 5i with the upper surfaces of the intermediate and outer grade beams preferablyin horizontal, co-planar relation. It will be seen that by the use of the corner connector member 5|, the outer 1 grade beams and intermediate grade beams may be readily and quickly connected-together and to the post 53 by unskilled workmen and that the use of such connector members provides for wide range of flexibility of structural arrangement or design. The grade beam 55 extends from the post 53 parallel to the grade beams I2, I3 and I4, and connected to the beam 55 in spaced'relation and parallel to the outer beam 50 are other inner beams 55, only one of which is shown, se Figures 1 and 19. A connector member 51 of the type shown in Figure 8 is preferably used for connecting one end of the inner grade beam 55 to the webs of the grade beam 55. This connector member 51 preferably comprises a pair of channel members secured together back to back to provide a pair of oppositely directed flanges 58 for seating against and connection to the adjacent web of the beam 55 and a second pair of oppositely directed flanges 59 for seating against and connection to the end flange of the beam 55. Bolts and nuts 60 or any other suitable securing means may be used for securing the beams to the flanges of the connector member 51.

In Figure 3, there is shown a hollow spacer or another filler type of connector member 6| to be interposed between the opposed ends of sections of the inner grade beam I4 and between the opposed ends of the sections of grade beam I5, see Figure 11, thus constituting a common connector fo the four sections of grade beams. The upper surfaces of the grade beams and the connector member 6| preferably lie in the same horizontal plane. Bolts and nuts or other suitable securing means may be provided for securing the ends of the four beam sections respectively to the sides of the connector member SI. Where the ends of the inner beam sections I2 and I3 connect to the inner and transversely extending beam sections I5, the type of connector 57 shown in Figures 8 and 13 is used. The type of connector member, shown in Figure 7 and designated by the numeral 62, is the same but longer than the connector member 57. This connector member 62 is used to connect ends of the intermediate grade beams I2, I 3 to the outer grade beam sections In intermediate the ends thereof, see Figure 12. As shown in this figure, one pair of the connector member flanges is secured to the beam web IS and the other or inner pair of connector member flanges position flush with the inner edges of the beam flanges I6, II for connection with the ends of the intermediate beams. Aligning apertures may be provided in the innerflanges of the connector member and in the end flanges of the intermediate grade beams I2, I3 to receive bolts for se" curing the parts together. Preferably, the outer grade beams I0, II, the inner grad beams I2, I3, I4 and I5 and the connector members therefor are arranged such that the upper surfaces thereof are in the same horizontal plane, as illustrated in the several views.

The structural character of the present grade beam frame involving the spacer type connectors for the beams, is such that in addition. to facilitating assembly of the frame, a considerable reduction or saving is attained incosts of production, handling, storing, etc. This is due to the fact that the frame structure is composed of one or more similar frame sections, each comprising grade beam sections of different'lengths which lengths are predetermined on the basis of a unit of measurement or module. For example,'in the present instance, whether it is a short or long beam section, the sum of its length and thethickness of its end connectors is a multiple-of the selected unit of length and the spacer thicknesses are the same or are multiplesof the same unit of measurement. By spacer thicknessis herein meant the distance which the end of a grade beam is spaced from a post, or from another grade beam, or from any'othermember to which it may be connected by one of the connector members. Thus, it will be seen that by utilizing the several different connector members, only a minimum of different lengths of beam section need be manufactured from which various size and shape of frames may be constructed. In Figure l, the sectionally constructed beam II is made up of two sections connected together at the intermediatepost, 22 by the connector member 42, Figure 20. For practical purposes, the outer beams III are preferably one piece members but like the sections of the outer beam 'II, the sum of the length of beam I0 and the thickness of its end connectors is a mutiple of. a selected unit of measurement wherebyv to give flexibility of arrangement of the beam members for buildings of different floor plan design. The lengths of the intermediate or inner grade beams I2, I3, I4 and I5 are determined or pre-cut in accordance with the same plan, above described in connection with the outer beams I9 and II. Thus, in the'structure shown, it is only necessary to manufacture the inner and outer beam sections in two or three different lengths each together with the several types of connector members shown in order to meet requirements for various size and design of building supporting frames for all practical purposes.

In order to reduce structural costs and assure obstacle-free running of utility pipes and lines crisscross beneath the flooring, we provide a plurality of individual spacer members 63, respectively supported on the outer and inner gradebeams for supporting the flooring in spaced relation thereabove. Each outer beam section of the outer beams I8, II carries or supports a numberof the spacer members 53 and each of the inner beam sections carries a number of the spacer members 64, these spacer members preferably being secured, such as by welding, to the beam sections at the plant or factory to facilitate erection of the floor supporting structure. Except for width, the supports 63, 64 are the same in form and construction, each preferably being made from a strip of sheet steel bent to provide an upper horizontal, plate-like seat portion '65 having spaced legs 56 with inturned supporting flanges 61 to seat on the upper surfaces of the beam flanges. These supports 63, 64 may have their supporting flanges B'I welded to the beam upper flanges or they may be otherwise suitably secured thereto.

Secured to each of the corner posts as there is a corner bracket 68 having a horizontal leg or plate-like support 69 and a vertical leg 10.

The vertical leg 10 is angled to fit into the corner recess 32 of the inturned post flanges 30, 3| to which it may be secured by bolts and nuts or by any other suitable means. Angle brackets H are secured, one to each of the intermediate posts 2|, 22, see Figures 14 and 20, the brackets ll each having an upper, horizontal leg or platelike support 12 and a lower, vertical leg 12'. The corner and intermediate post brackets 68 and "H respectively are arranged so that the upper surfaces of the horizontal legs thereof are in the same plane with each other and with the upper horizontal surfaces of the spacer members 63 and 64.

Individual floor supporting frame members 13 are supported, one on each of the upright spacer members 63 and on the angle brackets ll of the intermediate posts 22. The particular form of floor supporting frame member, designated generally by the numeral 13, is adapted to support large floor panels 14 at points or locations intermediate the side and intermediate the end edges of the panels, see Figures 17, and 21. This floor supporting frame member 73 is preferably formed out of a steel strip, bent, as at 15, to provide a horizontal seating portion 75 and an upstanding frame portion 11. The upper edge of the frame portion 11 presents a seat, defined preferably by a bending over of the metallic strip which then extends downwardly as a reinforcement 18 for the frame portion TI. The reinforcing portion 18 is preferably provided with a lower inturned flange 19 or foot for seating on the upper surface of the spacer 63 or on the angle bracket II, as the case may be. As shown, the floor panel frame portion 11 is bent such that there is an obtuse angle between the upper surface of the seat portion 15 and the adjacent, corresponding surface of the frame portion to conform, as will later be seen, to the beveled edges of the floor panels M. The side edge of the seating portion 16 is bent down, as a tab, and under the edge of the support on which it is mounted for attaching the floor frame member 13 thereto. In addition to supporting the floor panels and restraining edgewis movement thereof, the frame portion 1! is provided with a horizontally elongated slot to receive a catch 8i of a latch or clip member 82 carried by the floor panels 14 for releasably locking the panels in and to their frames, and hereinafter described in detail. On certain of the spacers 64 of the inner grade beams, pairs of the above described floor supporting frame members 13 are used where a pair of adjacent panels 14 are supported intermediate the side or end edges of the panels. A pair of these floor supporting frame members 73, as shown in Figure 18, is secured to the upper end of the spacers G4 with the reinforcing portion 18 thereof in back to back relation, the pair of frame portions I7 co-operating to form an inverted V.

On each of the brackets 68 of the corner posts 28, there is supported and secured thereto a corner floor supporting frame member, designated generally by the numeral 83, see Figures 15 and 16. This frame member 83 includes a horizontal seating portion 84 from which extend angularly disposed, frame or floor supporting portions 85 joined together to form a corner for receiving a corner portion of one of the floor panels M. Like the previously described intermediate floor supporting frame members 13, the strip of sheet steel preferably used to construct these members is bent over and downwardly to give added reinforcement, as at 86, to the frame portion 85, the

reinforcing portions 86 each having a lower inturned flange 81 to seat on the upper surface of the corner brackets. Tabs 88 bent out of the adjacent edges of the horizontal seating portions 84 are bent under the leg of the corner bracket 68 to secure the parts together, each of the frame portions 85 being provided with a slot 89 to receive the snap-in catches 8| of the latch members or clips 82 carried by the floor panels 14. On all of the other spacers B3 and 64, two or more of the corner frame members 83, or a combination of these, with the frame members 13 are usable to fulfill all requirements. In Figures 12, 14 are shown instances where two of the corner type floor frame members 83 are used together to support the adjacent corners of a pair of the floor panels 14 and in Figure 19 a pair of the corner type floor frame members 83 are used together with one of the floor frame members 13. In Figure 10, there is shown how three of the corner type fioor frame members 83 provide supports for three adjacent corners of floor panels at the post 53 and in Figures 11 and 13 are shown instances where four of the floor frame members 83 are grouped in close proximity to support four adjacent corners of the floor panels 74. Thus, it will be seen that various combinations of the floor frame members 13 and 83 are possible to fulfill all conditions of supporting the floor panels 14.

Elongated, floor-supporting and framing members 90 are provided which support the floor panels 74 and also function to close and seal the cracks between opposed, adjacent edges of the floor panels. The connecting frame members 90 are supported by the individual frame members 13, 85 extending preferably immediately above and parallel with the grade beams of the foundation. The panel frame members 73, 85 together with the connecting frame members 90 cooperate to provide a number of individual frames for supporting the floor panels 14 and restraining edgewise movement thereof. As shown more clearly in Figure 9, the connecting frame members 90 are each formed from a rectangular metallic strip, preferably steel, bent longitudinally and centrally of its side edges to provide a rounded upper edge 9| from which sides 92 extend downwardly in converging relation to each other in the shape of an inverted V. This inverted V-shaped frame and closure member 90 presents upwardly directed wedge-like surfaces to engage between adjacent beveled edges of pairs of the panels 14 to effect tightly sealed joints. End portions of the connecting frame members 90 fit over and seat on frame portions 11 of pairs of adjacent floor frame members 73. Preferably, the connecting frame members 90 are provided at each end thereof with a securin tab 93 to engage and be bent over in ends of the slotted apertures 83 or 89 in the supporting members 17 or 85 to secure the parts together.

The floor panels, as shown in Figures 27 and 28, are each recessed around the edges thereof to provide a peripheral shoulder and downwardly facing seating surface 94 for seating against the upper rounded edges SI of the connecting frame members 90, see Figures 27 and 28. Below the peripheral shoulder 94, the side and end edges, as at 95. of the panels 14 are beveled at an angle conforming to the angularity of the sides of connecting frame members 90.

Each of the panels 14 carries a number of the snap acting latch members 82 which are yieldable, flexible members adapted to cooperate with latch members adjacent their upper edges to the floor panels. Adjacent its lower end-,the latch member 82 is bent outwardly and downwardly at an angle and is bent back to form; the catch member Bl, which is V-shaped having an upper cam surface 91 to engage the upper edge of the slot to aid in holding the floor panel down against its supporting seats and to lockthe panel; in place, When laying a panel of the flooring-,- the panel is pushed down and the upper camsurfaces 91 of the catch members 96, engaging the tapered sides 92 of the connecting frame members 90, are flexed inwardly and placed under tension. This inward flexing movement of the latch members 82 is permitted by the provision of clearance recesses 99 provided in the edges of the floor panels 14 immediately behind the catches 81. When the floor panel 14 has been pushed down to a position near its supporting seats, the v-shaped catch members 96 are snapped into their respective slots in the frame members 13, 85. The upper cam surface 91 of thecatch members 96 engage the upper edges of their respective slots and through these cam surfaces thetension stored in each of the now partially tensioned latch members acts to urge the fioor panel M downwardly against its supporting seats. If for any reason it is desired to remove a floor panel, the panel may be lifted and through the cam action between the catch member upper cam surfaces 91 and the upper edges of the slots 80, 81, the latch members are caused to flex inwardly toward the edges of the panel, disengaging the catch members from the slots thus freeing the panel for removal.

The herein described building frame foundation and floor supporting structure and lower ends of the posts are embedded in the ground. To this end, the ground at the site of erection is first leveled and then trenches, designated by the numeral I00, are dug to receive the grade beams and lower post ends including the pos't bearing or supporting plates 23, 24 and 25. Prior to setting the grade beams and the lower ends of the posts in the trenches, a layer of s'tabilii e'd earth I01, preferably an asphait-earthmixture, is tamped in the trench bottoms; The grade beams and posts are set on the t'amped stabilized earth and leveled and connected together bylthe several types of connector members after'which the trenches are filled with the asphalt-earth mixture. Also, the spaces between the grade beams are preferably coveredwith a layer of this asphalt-earth mixture to insulate the floor against ground moisture. The asphalt-earth mixture, in addition to insulating the floor against ground moisture, also serves to preserve the structural frame foundation from deterioration by corrosion.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that we have provided a new and improved building foundation, the parts of which may be fabricated at the plant at low cost, packaged and shipped to an erection site where the parts may be readily assembled into a strong, durable foundation by unskilled workmen, thus effecting a reduction in building foundation costs. This structural steel building foundation, among other advantages is, unlike concrete foundations, not subject to cracking or sagging due to ground disturbances. Also in the present frame foundation, the objections and disadvantages experienced in necessary and individualadjustments of piers are eliminated for the upright supports of each row on a grade beam will besimultaneously adjusted at the time that the beamis leveled in the trench on the tamped asphaltearth mixture. Another advantage and saving in cost in the present frame construction is attained by reason ofthe provision of the grade beams and their connector members fabricated with respect to a predeterminedunit of measurement or module so that only a minimum of standard length parts need be fabricated to build frame foundations of various designs and sizes, as desired. F rthermore, the present name foundation permits the erosseressmg of utility lines and pipes beneatlitlie floor without run-- ning into obstructions. Iii addition, we; have prf vided' fiew' arid improved floor Supporting and floor panel locking means including the floor frame and crack closure members and the in dividual frame member supports having proviions for co-operating with latches on the panels for releasably holding the panels down against theirs'eats.

1'. In a building structure; apanel' arid' a floor panel supporting structure comprising a grade beam, a. spacer member on the grade beam, a frame member on the spacer member and extending therea'bove and locating andlim'iti'ng" lateral movement of the'panel, an aperture in the frame memberreceiving' attaching means carried by the'panel' and attaching the panelto the frame member, an elongated frame member supported by the first-named fIaIh' member andisup ertinglthe paneralong ohe'edgetheifeof, and a projectio'n carried by" the elongated frame member bent" over in the aperture iii the first-named frame" member securing the fram members tog'e'th'er; V

2. In a building striiet 're, a' floor panel having a beveled edge aria-near framing structure s pporting thepanei ecmprising, an inverted v-snape'd frame member sup ort, an elongated framemember of v-snsped cross-section'having one end'p'crtion cdm'pleineritarily fitting over the inverted v-snap'e'd frame member support and extending maternally therefrom, the frame member su port and the elongated frame memb rjeinu 'supporung the panel along one edge thereof andalso restraining edgewise movement of the panel, and means attaching the frarne member supper}; andthe elongated frame member together.

3. In a building structure, a paneland panel supporting structure comprising, a grade beam;- a spacer member supported by and extendin upwardlyfromthe grade beam,- an elongated frame member supporting the panel along one edge thereof, a frame supporting memberonthe spacer member supporting the elongated frame member, means on the frame supporting member engaging with means on the floor panel and attaching the floor panel to the frame supporting member, and means on the elongated frame member engaging means on the frame supporting member and connecting the frame members together. I

4'. In a building structure, the combination comprising, an exterior wall post, a grade beam connected to and extending substantially horizontally from the post, a spacer member on the grade beam and extending upwardly therefrom, a bracket mounted on a side of the post, a frame member on the spacer member, a frame member on the bracket, a connecting frame member extending between the frame member on the spacer member and the frame member on the bracket, and a panel having an edge portion supported by the connecting frame member.

5. In a building structure, the combination comprising, an exterior wall post, a grade beam connected to and extending substantially horizontally from the post, a spacer member on the grade beam and extending upwardly therefrom, a bracket mounted on a side of the post, a V-shaped frame member on the spacer member, a V-shaped frame member on th bracket, a V-shaped connecting frame member extending between the frame member on the spacer member and the frame member on the bracket and having end portions complementarily fitting the frame members on the bracket and spacer memher, and a panel having an edge portion supported by the connecting frame member and having a fiat edge surface fitting against the inclined side of the connecting member.

6. A supporting structure for use in supporting and spacing floor panels above a foundation comprising, a spacer member, a panel frame member, said panel frame member having a floor panel seat portion and a panel frame portion, said seat portion being supported by the spacer member, a panel seated on the seat portion with the frame portion restraining edgewise movement of the panel, the panel frame member having an aperture therein receiving attaching means carried by the panel, a panel frame connecting member supported on the first named frame member and cooperating therewith in forming part of a frame along an edge of the panel, and securing means carried by the panel frame connecting member and engaging in the aperture in the first named frame member and securing the frame members together.

7. A supporting structure for use in support-- ing and spacing floor panels above a foundation comprising, a pair of spaced apart spacer members, a panel frame member on each of the pair of spacer members, each of said panel frame members having a floor panel seat portion and a floor panel frame portion, each of said seat portions being supported by a respective one of the spacer members, a panel seated on the seat portion with the frame portions restraining edgewise movement of the panel, each of the panel frame members having an aperture therein receiving securing means carried by the panel, a panel frame connecting member supported on the first named frame members and cooperating therewith in forming a frame along an edge of the panel, and securing means carried by the panel frame connecting member and engaging in the apertures and securing the frame members together.

' 8. A supporting structure for use in supporting and spacing floor panels above a foundation comprising, a pair of spaced apart spacer members, a panel frame member on each of the pair of spacer members, each of said panel frame members having a floor panel seat portion and a panel frame portion inclined upwardly from the seat portion, each of said seat portions being supported by a respective one of the spacer members, a panel seated on the seat portion with the inclined frame portions restraining edgewise movement of the panel, the pane1 having an inclined edge surface, each of the panel frame members having an aperture therein receiving securing means carried by the panel, a panel frame connecting member supported on the first named frame members and cooperating with the inclined frame portions in forming an inclined edge frame along the inclined edge of the panel, and securing means carried by the panel frame connecting member and engaging in the apertures and securing the frame members together.

9. In a building structure, a panel and panel supporting structure comprising, a grade beam, a spacer member supported by and extending upwardly from the grade beam, an elongated frame member supporting the panel along one edge thereof, a frame supporting member on the spacer member supporting the elongated frame member, the frame supporting member including an aperture, latch means on the floor panel engaged in the aperture and connecting the floor panel to the frame supporting member, and tab means on the elongated frame member engaged in the aperture and connecting the frame members together.

HAROLD S. SHANNON. THADDEUS B. HURD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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